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Writing
Children's Picture Books Course is currently closed-- please check back soon for new course dates. Course Description: Have you always wanted to write for children? This eight-week course introduces you to the basic skills of writing children’s picture books, dealing with such topics as how to create characters, write strong but simple stories, and present your work to publishers. Includes writing exercises and brain-storming tips. Course Type: Reading and writing exercises, set assignments, instructor critique. This course has a 3 student minimum. Objective: After taking this course you should have an understanding of the fundamental skills of picture book writing, the importance of character, story structure, and language. You will work on your own picture book story and know how to set it out ready to send off to a publisher or agent. Duration: 6 lessons to be completed in an 8-week period. Registration Deadline: Course is closed. Learner Prerequisites: None Limit: 3 student minimum Cost: $130.00 Class Materials: Instructor will provide lessons and assignments by e-mail attachment. Feedback will be given on all assignments. Curriculum: Lesson 1: Getting Started. Researching picture books, the age of the reader, finding time to write, getting ideas, the new angle. Assignment: Write a brief study of a well-known children’s picture book character. Lesson 2: Characters. How characters dominate stories, looking at well-known picture book characters, how to create characters children will love, using animals or inanimate objects as characters, naming your character. Assignment: Create a character suitable for a children’s picture book. Lesson 3: Plotting The Story. Keeping it simple. How to tell a story, not a ‘moral message.’ Making sure the story has a beginning, middle and end. The ‘feel good’ ending. Assignment. Write a story outline for your character. Lesson 4. Let The Pictures Do The Talking. Show, don’t tell. How the illustrations move the story along. Writing the first draft, how to write up the story and artwork suggestions, how to make a dummy. Picture book layout. Assignment. Write the first draft of your story. Lesson 5: The Right Language. Keeping the language simple. Rhyme, rhythm and repetition, making every word count. Making the right balance between text and pictures. Assignment. Write up your story in page by page layout. This assignment is spread over two weeks. Lesson 6. Wrapping It Up. How to re-read and rewrite your story. The final draft. Presentation. How to go about getting an agent, looking for the right publisher. Assignment. Submit the final revision of your story. This assignment is spread over two weeks. Instructor Bio Karen King has been a freelance writer for more
than 20 years, with more than 100 children’s books published. Her published titles include
Space
Chase On Planet Zog (Walker), Cosmic Whizz Kid (Macdonald), The Gold Badge (HarperCollins),
and Christmas Fun (Scholastic). She
has written picture books, storybooks, activity books, joke and puzzle books, and
is often commissioned to write about licensed characters such as Winnie
the Pooh and Rosie and Jim. In addition, she writes short stories for women’s magazines and is currently working on a TV script. She teaches writing both online and in college settings. Paypal: |
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